King's or Pawns of Men

Chapter Four

Marian sat on her bed inside her chambers as she slowly brushed her hair, though her mind was far away, as she worried about her husband and Will, whom she hoped she would one day get the chance to know. Within a few minutes, her handmaiden, Sarah, walked into the room and sat down beside her as she pulled the brush from Marian's hands, then took over for her, as Sarah used to do since she was much younger.

"Your thoughts are far away, my lady," Sarah spoke softly. "You're worried for your husband?"

"Yes, and for Will and Azeem," she responded fearfully. "Though the threats to them have ended, there are still many other dangers out there. What if there is an attack against them? What if one of them becomes hurt or ill?"

Sarah continued brushing as she answered, "Then, the others will take care of him. They will be all right. I'm sure of it."

Marian took hold of her handmaiden's hand as she turned to face her, then replied softly, "I wish I had your confidence, Sarah. I know that they are strong and brave, but until they return, I cannot stop being afraid for them. I pray to God they return soon."

Meanwhile…

Robin and Azeem had been riding slowly through Sherwood Forest in search of Will, who seemed to have left for good, not wanting anyone to find him. After days of searching, the two heroes had yet to find the young man. The forest was the largest in England, as all roads led through it, so the search was a long and difficult one. On the first day, Robin was fine with carrying on a conversation with his friend as they went, but after two and three, the quieter he became as worry for his brother was increasing every hour he remained missing.

"There is a foul stench in the air," Azeem said after a long silence as he slowed his horse and began to look around for the source of the smell. "Like a rotting carcass."

"I smell it too," Robin responded as he too slowed his horse and cautiously looked over his surroundings until they came upon a tree where there was a dead horse covered in dried blood lying beneath it at its base with an arrow sticking out from the animal's rear thigh, a purple cloth pinned between the arrow and body.

They dismounted from their own horses and walked over to the remains, then slowly lifted the cloth to examine it as Azeem spoke again saying, "This beast appears to have been dead for days, as the blood has dried and the insects have begun to eat away at its flesh. From the saddle and what little stitching I can make out on the blanket, I would say that it once belonged to a man of wealth and possibly of nobility; a truly magnificent animal, or at least it was. Is something the matter, Christian?"

Robin continued staring down at the cloth in his hands as he answered solemnly, "This is Will's cloak. He was wearing it the night he ran off after our talk."

"Are you certain?" the Moor asked.

"I am," Robin replied as he turned around and handed it over to his friend. "It's also covered in blood just like the horse. Will could be hurt. It would explain why he hasn't arrived back at Marian's or the camp."

Azeem nodded and then responded, "If he is wounded, then he may have managed to find shelter somewhere to rest and to try to take care of the injury."

Robin quickly got back on his horse as he said, "I'm sure you're right. We need to move, now. We can't rest anymore ourselves until we find him."

"Surely Allah will guide us in our search," Azeem answered.

Hours passed as Robin and his friend continued on in their search. So far, there had still been no sign of his brother, but they eventually found a blood trail, along with footprints in the mud that appeared to deepen the farther they went on, as the weight of the person who made them grew heavier. There was no doubt in their minds anymore that Will was injured and continuing to grow worse the further he continued to travel.

"What is keeping him going?" Robin asked as they came upon an area where there was more blood than before upon the ground and surrounding trees.

Azeem observed the large imprint he discovered in the mud a few feet away after dismounting once again, then replied, "It appears that he fell here and lay until something surged him onward. He cannot be far, for he will not last much longer."

Robin responded, "Good, then…"

"Christian, it appears that Will's footprints are not the only ones I'm seeing," the Moor quickly interrupted as he continued staring down at the ground, moving slowly as he traced the newfound imprints.

"What exactly are you saying?" Robin asked, fearing he already knew what his friend meant.

Azeem answered, "We are no longer the only one who is searching for your brother. Another is tracking him as well. It is most likely whoever injured him and is now looking to finish his work."

Robin's face darkened and as Azeem remounted he replied, "I will not allow anyone else kill all that's left of my family. I wasn't here to protect my father. I can't let my brother down too."

In a small clearing, the hunter had finally caught up to his prey after searching for the last two days under orders from the lord who ruled over him. The marksman found Will was barely conscious as he lay on the cold, muddy ground beside a stream nearby, one of his arrows still embedded deep within his shoulder, though the shaft was mostly broken off. The archer slowly walked toward him as he struggled to move in attempt to protect himself, though he knew the man had him.

"I'm amazed that you managed to make it this far," he spoke as he pulled out Will's knife, which the Baron had given to him before separating from them. "You have strength, which I admire, but unfortunately, you still have to die."

"And you plan to… to use my… own wea… weapon to kill me?" Will asked weakly. "You won't have any trouble. Any strength I had… is gone."

The marksman leaned down and lifted the upper half of Will's body up by his shirt, then raised the blade over him as he was about to strike, and responded, "My lord wants your head. No one humiliates him and gets away with it."

However, the archer stopped as he suddenly heard horses thundering toward him and roughly pulled Will all the way off the ground, pulled him in front of him, then turned around just in time as two men charged into the clearing, one of whom he quickly recognized as Robin Hood.

Robin dismounted, then pulled his sword out, and raised it upon seeing a man holding a knife to his brother's throat, then spoke up angrily saying, "Let my brother go, now or my friend and I will visit upon you the same pain you have afflicted upon him tenfold!"

"This worthless fool is the brother of England's greatest hero, Robin Hood?" the archer asked in surprise as he tightened his hold.

"It's obvious you know who I am, so you know what I say is true," Robin answered as Azeem stood ready for a fight. "Let him go."

The marksman only smiled, then smugly replied, "I'm afraid I can't do that. My master wants his head. You should have taught your brother to mind his manners in the presence of a nobleman."

Robin slowly moved closer as Azeem spoke up saying, "Noblemen are no greater than a poor man who has honor and strength, as shown in this young man you have harmed. Your master has neither, just as you do not. Release him."